Monday, February 21, 2011

Favourite large world buildings

Strangely for me, you may think, one of my favourite large world buildings is quite modern and has come to almost represent London for me. I speak of 30 St Mary Axe. Know it? No? Better known as The Gherkin. 30 St Mary Axe is its street address. It is very visible from many parts of London and a good focus point to keep your sense of direction. It was constructed in 2004.

A couple of other favourite buildings of mine are both in New York City. One is the Flatiron building. Why? I don't really know. It reminds me a bit of the demolished Junction Hotel at St Kilda Junction. I guess I just like its shape and proportions. It was completed in 1902. The photo is large if you click on it and I recommend you do as it has some wonderful street detail. It was posted at the marvellous shorpy.com Below it is a photo of St Kilda's Junction Hotel. Note one of those new fangled electric trams in the photo. They can't last. Well, they didn't at the Flatiron, but they certainly have at St Kilda Junction.

Could humankind ever construct a building more beautiful than the Chrysler Building. Not for my money. It was completed in 1930. After the destruction of the World Trade Center in 2001, it once again became New York's second tallest building, after the Empire State Building.

17 comments:

Feral kidlet's orthodontist has a HUGE mofo B&W photo of (current-day) Flatiron building (covers almost the whole wall) where I just sit and drool at the architecture ;)Melbourne's smaller version of the flatiron (refer WM) is up for sale as apartments atm, I think.

Isn't there a building near Taylor Square in Sydney that, like the Flatiron Building, from a certain angle seems as thin as a single wall? My memory says yes although I'm not certain it is still there even though I pass through the square weekly.

I wonder if the building that Victor was scratching his head about might be the Griffiths Bros Teas building on the corner of Goulburn and Elizabeth. Not Taylor Square exactly but just a little way from Whitlam Square towards Central Station. I will put this comment on Victor's blog too and email you an image.

Julie, I know of the Griffiths Tea Building but did not have that in mind. Maybe it is a trick of childhood memory but I have a recollection of a building south of Taylor Square that had the Flatiron look when viewed from a certain angle. I'll check out the area when I am next there.

My public diary, not my private one. I live in a highrise apartment building in inner Melbourne. My interests are varied but top of the list are old buildings, history and public transport. You will find plenty of personal experiences to read in my blog too. Just be aware I am not an historian, amateur or otherwise. While I make some effort to be accurate, I don't do proper methodical research so I advise you check all details on your own behalf should you wish to quote me. Your comments are very welcome, but try to be nice to my fragile yet overblown ego. I enjoy receiving email. You can find my eddress in my complete profile.